Plant Layout - 5 Essential Tips

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize the benefits of an efficient plant layout and identify symptoms of inadequate layouts affecting productivity.
• Understand the main production issues related to flow, process, and capacity, and address concerns such as variability and rigidity.
• Implement a structured approach to plant layout by considering human aspects, appointing project leaders, and involving employees.
• Identify and minimize sources of waste using methods like MUDAS analysis and tools like proximity matrices and spaghetti diagrams.
• Apply high-performance practices, including visual management and equipment regrouping, and utilize micro-tips for optimizing layout space and efficiency.

Description

The layout of a production facility determines a company’s profitability and competitiveness. The plant layout also directly influences current operations and impacts quality, time and cost.

Often, plant layout decisions are made without knowing all of the relevant information and possible issues. In terms of delivery, a non-optimum layout increases time waste due to the distances employees or materials need to travel. In regards to production capacity, an inadequate plant layout could create bottlenecks or reduce the pace of work under the production standards, and the company may end up with delivery delays.

This webinar presents the plant layout process and five essential tips to make it a success.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for:

Production managers, operations managers, and facility planners who are responsible for the layout and efficiency of production facilities. Manufacturing engineers and industrial engineers will also find the content highly relevant.

Additionally, plant managers and supervisors looking to optimize their facility layouts to improve quality, reduce costs, and minimize time waste are key participants. Executives and decision-makers in manufacturing and production companies who oversee large-scale operations and strategic planning will benefit from understanding the impact of plant layout on profitability and competitiveness.

Furthermore, consultants and professionals involved in process improvement, lean manufacturing, and supply chain management will gain valuable insights from the webinar.

There will be a PowerPoint presentation to support the webinar; participants will receive the PowerPoint presentation in PDF format.

Course Outline

• Benefits from an Efficient Layout:
  • Examples of benefits
  • Symptoms of inadequate layout
  • Productivity

• Understanding Production Issues:
  
  • The three main issues: flow, process and capacity
  • Other concerns: variability and rigidity

Five Essential Tips

1. Make a corporate project with your plant layout:

• Consider the human aspects
• Appoint a person in charge of the project
• Make your employees participate

2. Identify your main sources of waste:

• The MUDAS
• The variability and the rigidity
• Understand your plant very well for optimal layout

3. Use the right methods of analysis and the right tools:

• The plant features analysis
• The proximity matrix
• The 2D diagram
• The spaghetti diagram

4. Integrate high-performance practices into your new layout:

• Visual management
• Equipment regrouping in cells
• Order and storage

5. Micro-tips for an efficient plant layout:

• Enlarge within
• Racking tips
• Layout aisle tips
• Layout space tips